Communication of data is an endemic part of modern society. And, access to communication systems through which to communicate data pursuant to effectuation of communication services is a practical necessity for many. A telephonic communication system is exemplary of a type of communication system that has been widely employed and is regularly utilized by many through which to effectuate communications.
When installed and made operational, a telephonic communication system provides for the telephonic communication of voice, as well as non-voice, data. Networks of telephonic communication systems have been installed throughout significant portions of the populated portions of the world. Users of such telephonic communication systems communicate telephonically therethrough through the use of telephonic, or other communication, stations that are connected to the telephonic networks. Through appropriate interconnection of separate telephonic networks, telephonic communications are effectuable between telephonic stations positioned at disparate locations by way of the interconnected, telephonic networks.
Conventional telephonic networks are predicated upon circuit-switched communication techniques. That is to say, conventional telephonic networks create circuit-switched connections between telephonic stations between which communication services are to be effectuated. Once circuit-switched connections are formed there between, dedicated, i.e., circuit-switched, channels are allocated to the telephonic stations by which to communicate data therebetween. For so long as a circuit-switched connection is maintained, telephonic communications between the telephonic stations is permitted. However, the connection is maintained irrespective of the amount, or regularity, of the communication of data therebetween. Data forming telephonic communications might only be intermittently communicated between the telephonic stations to which the dedicated connection is provided. As a result, the communication capacities of communication systems that utilize circuit-switched connections oftentimes underutilize the communication capacities of the communication channels formed pursuant to such connections. In other words, use of circuit-switched connections sometimes inefficiently utilizes the communication capacity of a telephonic network.
In contrast, communication schemes that provide for shared-channel communications generally are better able to utilize the communication capacity of a communication system, such as a telephonic communication system. Shared channels are utilized in packet-based communication systems. In a packet-based communication system, packet-formatted data is communicated. Packet-formatted data can be communicated during discrete intervals. And, the same channel can be utilized to communicate packet-formatted data, transmitted during separate time periods to effectuate communication services pursuant to separate communication sessions. In contrast to conventional, circuit-switched communication schemes, a communication system that utilizes packet-switched communication schemes are able more efficiently to utilize the communication capacity allocated to a communication system.
The packet-formatted data is formatted pursuant to a selected formatting protocol. Various packet formatting protocols have been promulgated and standardized. One protocol scheme, referred to as the Internet protocol (IP), or IP protocol, is a formatting scheme that is regularly utilized in many communication systems. Communication devices and apparatus are constructed to format and send, to receive, to transport, and to operate upon, IP-formatted data.
Packet-based, communication schemes are utilized in communication effectuated by way of the Internet backbone. Communications effectuable by way of the Internet backbone include voice, non-voice, as well as multimedia communication services through the communication of packet-formatted data using packet-switched connections.
The Internet backbone is representative of a packet data network or “fabric” through which packet-switched channels are formed. The Internet, or other packet data network is coexistent with conventional, circuit-switched telephonic networks, i.e., “legacy” networks. Circuit-switched, e.g., TDM (time division multiplexed) telephonic networks are connected to packet data networks by way of devices referred to as gateways. The gateways form gateways to the packet data network from telephonic networks and vice versa. Protocol translations, as well as other operations, for instance, voice encoding operations, are performed by the gateways.
In addition to more efficient utilization of communication resource allocations, the use of IP-based, and other, packet-switched communication schemes in packet data networks provide other advantages, including improved adaptability and flexibility of configuration and reconfiguration.
Telephonic access to a telephonic station that is moved, to be placed in another location of a packet data network, is relatively easily effectuated. In contrast, in a circuit-switched communication system, corresponding access is not as easily effectuated. Conventionally, subscription to a call forwarding service, or purchase of a toll-free number, or lease of an FX line is required. Call forwarding might result in a large toll bill to a customer for whom the call is forwarded. Additionally, local phone service charges might also be incurred. A toll free number is also relatively expensive. And, if a local presence is intended, use of a toll free number would be contradictory to such a goal. And, use of an FX line is also relatively expensive and is implementable over only a short distance, e.g., a few miles.
Due to the co-existence of both the legacy networks and the packet data networks, a possibility exists that some of the advantages inherent of a packet data network might also be advantageously utilized in conjunction with a legacy network.
If, for instance, the ease of adaptability of changing locations at which a telephonic station of a packet data network can be applied in some manner to facilitate cost-effective routing of calls in a legacy network coupled to a packet data network, improved communication services could be provided to the legacy network.
It is light of this background information related to telephonic communication networks that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.